Midnight Sand
by Dragon Ruler 06
Summary: Magic needed its chosen to be strong and healthy, which he was not getting in his current world. The TriWizard Tournament was a perfect chance to whisk Harry away to a place where he could get that, as well as be happy and experience different kinds of love. Thanks to Emporio Ivankov, Harry is now Hari. And thanks to Crocodile, she doesn't tolerate a lot. Transgender/Fem!Harry
1. Chapter 1

**So we are going to experiment with different story ideas, because I cannot focus on one story anymore. I am just running all over the damn place and lost my mojo. So here is experiment number one. There will be no scheduled updating, just a heads up. And new stopries could be posted randomly as well to see how they go and if I can get the mojo flowing again.**

 **This has taken me quite a while to think of. I had a review a while back from someone asking if I would consider writing a Crocodile/FemHarry story, around the time I was writing The Emerald Rose.**

 **Well after listening to some really awesome music, which is where I get most of my inspiration, I have recently thought of an interesting way of making this happen. And it will be a bit different from the last two FemHarry stories with Evelyn and Celosia.**

 **Wish me luck, guys. And I hope you enjoy this story as much as you have been enjoying 'The Emerald Rose' and 'Spots and Dots'.**

 **Disclaimer: Do not own anything Harry Potter or One Piece related.**

 **Here the Story Starts**

The wailing baby was placed into the circle of her arms, her tired body managing to support the squirming bundle as arms flailed. Over her shoulder, her husband smiled down at the screaming bundle wrapped in blue, a layer of dark fuzz covering the pink scalp covered with bruising from entering the world.

"He's beautiful, Lils," he said with a choked voice, his thumb caressing the baby's head as his wife planted a kiss to the newborn's forehead.

"And everyone kept saying I was carrying like I was expecting a girl," Lily giggled. "Not that I would have minded. Oh, James, look at him!"

"What should we name him?" the dark-haired man inquired as the mediwitch cleaned Lily off.

"Harry," the red-haired woman answered, her green eyes sparkling as she took in the image of her newborn son, who was starting to calm and pry his eyelids open. "Yes, your name shall be Harry James Potter."

 **Here is a line!**

In less than two years after the entrance of the Potter Heir, the wizarding world was rocked by the death of the dreaded Dark Lord that all feared to speak of by name. Yet they celebrate the child they believe led to his downfall, few mourning the couple that fell.

Yet as much as they celebrate the child, none look for him after his disappearance. No one, Death Eater or Lord or common folk, ever attempted to look for the child that they placed upon a pedestal. The newly orphaned child that they knew only by name, with only Muggle family to go to.

None tried to search for him. Yet one powerful entity knows exactly where he is. Most regard magic as a fact of life, or a fairytale in the minds of Muggles. Magic is nothing more than a part of them, a tool to use. None thought to questions where magic came from, or what magic even is. Yet Magic itself watched over the child, healed the wounds from his years of abuse, and kept him alive through his starvation.

Magic scanned the realms to see which world young Harry would benefit from most. Not just keep him alive and healthy, but to train him, prepare him for his destiny, provide him with the love he has been denied, and to help him bring comfort within his own skin. The only one Magic could find that fit the criteria it so carefully selected, Harry needed to be in the wild water to be taken there. And Harry, after being nearly drowned in the tub by his obese uncle, developed a deep fear of water and never learned to swim.

Still, Magic kept its chosen alive, before Hogwarts and even guiding him during it. He never knew. Not even the old man that believed he knows everything knew. But Magic brought comfort to the young raven that danced away in secluded rooms, wearing clothing fit for young girls as he waltzed with an invisible partner. Magic kept the door locked until the chosen returned the mask to his face and hid away the gentle clothing that complimented his lithe body.

One day, everything fit into place. The Goblet of Fire was not confounded by a mere wizard, but by Magic. Magic made the Goblet choose Harry. Then waited until he was in the free water. Waited until he was pushed into the wild water by the disguised one. Then once he was in the water, the wild water of mermaids and undine and grindylows and hippocampus, Magic took him from the world where he suffered.

It took him to another world. A world of water, but also of diverse humans. Many can help him. Many will help him. In more ways than little Harry James Potter could ever believe.

 **Here is a line!**

With a groan, green eyes blinked open before lung purged the small amount of water that was inhaled. Weak limbs pushed him up off the sunset-colored sand. He had to blinked several more times as well as shake his head when he took in his surroundings. Most plant life around him was a vibrant pink of various shades, almost blinding to his eyes.

Unsteady, he managed to get to his feet, stumbling a few steps before finding his balance. Looking behind him, all he could see was pure blue, the sunlight glistening on the jagged surface ocean water. Gulping, he turned back towards the forest at the edge of the beach. Maybe there are inhabitants somewhere. He just ahs to find them.

Harry was unaware of the eyes watching him traverse through the forest, the teen eventually finding a long dirt road that he started to follow as well. Eventually, he came to a house with the name 'Elizabeth' scrawled across plague by the door in elegant writing. Hesitantly, he lifted a hand and knocked on the door. And waited. He knocked again. Still no answer.

"You look a little lost," someone said behind him, causing the teen to yelp as jump around only to stare at a large body wearing a unusual outside that looked like it was shaping a V around the person's frame. A strange sign was inked on the patch of bare skin that was right below the chest, and Harry noticed the fishnet leggings on broad legs. Slowly, he looked up, noting the necklace of large pearls, oddly shaped chin, and fluffy purplish-blue hair in an afro, something sparkling sitting on top. Dark eyes framed by blue eyeshadow and thick black eyelashes stared down at him as dark-blue lips smiled down at him.

"Um… I think I am," he confessed, mentally reasoning that this unusual man must have giant blood. "Sorry to be a bother, but…"

"You could use some help?" the large man supplied, giving the teen a wink. "Don't you worry, dear candy! You're safe here!"

"Okay," Harry drew out cautiously, taking a step back but only ended up bumping the door behind him. "Can you tell me where I am?"

"Why, you're on Momoiro Island, my Kamabakka Queendom!" the man declared with a exaggerated wave of his hand, scooping Harry up in his other arm. "I am Queen here, Emporio Ivankov!" He smiled down at the young raven. "And you are?"

"Uh, Harry," he replied, trying to get down from the sudden grip.

"Well then, Harry, mind telling me how you ended up in my queendom?" the man inquired as he let Harry climb from his hold. "Shipwreck?"

"I'm not sure," Harry admitted, rubbing his hand up and down one arm, not noticing the look Ivankov was giving him as he looked around the area. "Do you know how to get to England?"

"Not a place I've heard of," the other informed, scratching his pointed chin. "Are you from there? Which sea is it in?"

"What do you mean? It's right next to the Atlantic Ocean," Harry explained curiously.

"Haven't heard of that one either," Ivankov sighed, shaking his massive head as he crossed his arms. "Which sea are you from? North Blue? South Blue? Maybe West… no, no, no, not from the East Blue, definitely. Or are you from an island somewhere on the Grand Line?"

Harry blinked up, freezing in place. "I've never heard of any of those places," he admitted. "Wh…where am I?"

"Iva-chan!" someone called out, making the teen jump in surprise once again and see another man approaching, his blonde hair long and in fine curls. Large brown eyes looked at the young raven as he ran his hands down the front of his pink dress. "Who's this cutie pie?"

"His name is Harry, and he's lost," Ivankov provided. "Have there been any shipwrecks nearby lately?"

The other shrugged. "None that we're aware of."

As the two conversed, Harry dropped onto the ground and pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them as burying his face into his knees. He went down into the Black Lake to retrieve Ron only to wake up on some beach on a pink island with no idea of where he is. Nothing around him was familiar. He wasn't sure what was going on.

Ivankov paused his conversation when he heard sniffles coming from the body curled up into a fetal position, his head tilting as he scanned over the boy. The places the teenager mentioned were completely unfamiliar, and he looked completely lost when the queen started listing the known seas. No doubt he's not only lost, but he's also confused and overwhelmed.

He sighed heavily as he rubbed his forehead. He can't just leave the poor candy in the forest, nor could he simply dump him on one of the others. They can get a little eccentric sometimes. Which leaves him with only one option that he can think of. Reaching down, he scooped the teen into his arms and carried him home.

 **Here is a line!**

A week passed much calmer than either Harry or Ivankov could have anticipated. Harry kept expecting someone to show up and take him back to Hogwarts, but no one showed up. Not even his beloved owl. After hearing about the world he has found himself in, he started to suspect that he wasn't even in the proper dimension. How, he couldn't explain.

One thing he did enjoy, though, was that no one cared that he liked to wear the dresses. Some of them even tailored dresses to his measurements. They were beautifully done and he couldn't help but smile as he wore them, managing to embrace the person he hid away.

Since he was young, he found himself feeling odd in his own body, like it didn't fit him in any way. If a moment of childhood imagination, he found Petunia's clothing and put on a blouse and skirt, as well as a pair of high heels. It infuriated his aunt, 'contaminating her things with his freakishness', and Vernon tried to beat it out of him even more. But when he looked in the mirror and saw the outfit on his body, as uncoordinated as the colors were and as ugly as his aunt's clothes are, he found himself comfortable.

He often tied Dudley's old clothes to fit him much like the blouse and skirt did, though under the disguise of a simply scrawny boy wearing baggy clothing. When he attended Hogwarts and realized he has his own money, he converted some into pounds and bought a few feminine outfits, hiding them from others and wore them in absolute privacy.

Make-up was something he could never get the hang up. But with the help of the okamas, he learned the various shades and which colors complemented his complex and eyes, as well as blended with his outfits well. Soon, he was wearing that as well.

When the first month was over, Ivankov decided that no one would be coming to take his newest candy away. So he settled for training the teenager in Okama Kenpo once he gained enough body weight from having three healthy meals a day. There were a few incidents when something odd happened, but Ivankov always brushed it off, even when Harry tried to explain it. In fact, Ivankov had the idea of combining the unusual moments with the Okama Kenpo.

Some of the results were actually a bit explosive. And Harry always panicked whenever Ivankov acted like he was dying, only to break down crying whenever the Queen would pop back up with an exclamation of being fine. It always took a while to calm him down, and even longer to get him used to the fact that Ivankov is just a strange individual that does things like that on a daily basis.

Sooner than expected, Harry was seventeen years old, and Ivankov granted him the one thing he didn't know he desired most of all. Well, in a sense he did know. He wanted to feel comfortable in his own body. The clothing helped, but his body still felt odd to him.

The day they celebrated him turning seventeen (which was just the third anniversary of his arrival to the island), Ivankov injected him with hormones that changed his body. Not minor changes, either, such as strengthening his muscles or enhancing any features beyond fixing his eyesight.

Though it was a odd feeling, and he was scared of what was happening, the results brought tears of joy to his eyes and a bright smile to his lips. Or her lips, now.

Standing in front of a full-body mirror, Harry twirled in _her_ new dress, eyeing the firm breast now resting on her chest and examining her wide hips and narrow waist. Her hourglass figure was hugged by her white dress decorated with sparkling pink pedal design. Her hair, voluminous and reaching to her waist, bounced with each movement without a hair popping out of place. Her lips were full and pink, her eyes a little larger and glistened in joy as she embraced the large man that changed her.

Of course she had to learn how to fight with her body now the opposite gender than what she was born as. Yet she adapted quickly, her strength increasing with each passing day. Ivankov would occasionally tease her by wiping a tear from his eyes, sometimes her eyes whenever the queen was actually female, and commented about how quickly his candy was growing up.

As happy as she now is with herself, Harry – though Ivankov calls her Hari now – wanted to explore this world she was left in. It took a couple of months for her to learn how to handle a ship on her own, and she was determined to do it on her own despite what the others offered, but she was finally ready. Provisions were packed and her magic kept it all fresh. Her clothes all neatly folded and placed in a chest. And the okamas of Momoiro Island seeing her off with tears in their eyes. Ivankov even acted like her leaving was breaking his heart so much that he was dying, only to pop back up as energetic as ever.

There was something that the queen gave her. A message to pass to someone named 'Crocodile', whom Iva-chan swore would help her. All she has to do is find him.

 **Here the Chapter Ends**

 **So there we have it. Short, I know, but think of this as a prologue. Next chapter, Hari will meet Crocodile and we shall see how it goes from there.**

 **Okay, how many of you like the whole 'Harry is actually transgender and Ivankov turned him into a girl' idea for FemHarry? I don't see it happening in other stories, so I like to think it's a somewhat original. From now on, Harry is Hari and he will be referred to as 'she/her'. Okay?**

 **As for Hogwarts, you guys will find out later. Like I said, this one will be a bit different from the pervious two.**

 **Let me know what you all think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A little bit better than I was expecting, to be honest. So now, Hari gets to meet Crocodile! Hope you guys enjoy! ^^**

 **So just to clear things up before we go on, I had to do a bit of research and math to figure out how old Crocodile would be at the time period I am bringing him in.**

 **Roger was executed twenty-two years before the series started, and when Crocodile showed up, according to One Piece Wiki, he was forty-four. Meaning he was roughly twenty-two when Roger died. Forty when he met Robin (she was twenty-four when she met him and twenty-eight at her debut).**

 **If I have all the math correct here, Crocodile should be about five years older than Hari. Not that bad of an age gap. My parents are ten years apart, so whatever! ^^**

 **One last note: I always find it hard to believe that there are seven Shichibukai and none of them really met except for two or three of them. Okay, makes no sense to me. So here, Crocodile and Doflamingo have known each other since Roger's execution, at least.**

 **Disclaimer: Nope, do not own anything Harry Potter or One Piece related.**

 **Here the Chapter Starts**

The execution of Gol D. Roger was the talk of the whole world. Everywhere she went, people spoke of his capture and the execution tiptoeing closer and closer. The death of the Pirate King is one of the biggest events in history, or so Hari thought. Meaning just about anyone could be there.

Such was her thought process as she sat in a little café near the execution site. The crowd was already flooding in, everything trying to fill in the space and get the best view of the platform. The execution wasn't for another hour.

A tall man sat in front of her, grinning down with pearly white teeth and almost completely engulfed by a coat of pink feathers. "Pretty thing like you shouldn't be alone," he commented.

"Not interested," she brushed off, turning her head away. "I'm waiting to meet someone, anyway."

"Oh? Maybe I can help," he offered, leaning forward over the leg he had propped up on his knee. "Donquixote Doflamingo."

She regarded him with cold green eyes. Everything about the young man screamed arrogance and power, almost in a deadly manner. "Not interested," she repeated, turning her head so that her curtain of pitch-black hair could block him from her sight.

"No need to be so rude," the blonde playfully taunted. "Tell me your name. It's only fair."

"The hell you doing, bird brain?" someone interrupted, causing the blonde to pull away and direct his grin to the newcomer. "Not every girl is going to jump into your bed just because you're there."

"Oh, come on, Croc! I was just being friendly!"

"You being friendly generally results in someone getting killed." He lifted a hand then tapped the taller male on his blonde head. "She said she's not interested, so leave her alone."

Pouting, the teenager crossed his arms and scoffed. "Fine! I'll find someone else." He got to his feet then sauntered off, his tall body hunched over as he took exaggerated steps away from them.

Huffing, the newcomer looked to Hari, bringing a cigar to his lips. "I'm not apologizing for that bird brain," he commented. "I just don't feel like getting dragged down when he screws up." He turned and was about to step away when she spoke.

"Are you Crocodile?"

Somewhat curious, he turned back to her. "Depends on who is asking."

Instead of introducing herself, Hari smirked and held out the note Ivankov gave her before her departure. "I was told to give you this by a… mutual acquaintance," she informed.

Eyes narrowed before he took the note from her outstretched hand, flipping the paper over and scanning over the writing. 'Take care of Hari for me, Croco-boy!' Yep, definitely Ivankov, he realized in irritation as he crumbled the note in his hand. "I take it you're Hari," he commented, dropping the note onto the floor and kicking it away. Damn it, he has better things to do than baby-sit some girl.

"I am," she answered, linked her hands together before placing her chin on the combined digits. "I don't know why Iva-chan told me to find you. You don't look that impressive."

Her glass green eyes scanned over his form, taking in his broad stature and pale skin. Inky black hair slicked back smoothly, almost shjining purple when the light hit it just right. Scar reaching from one side of his face to the other, crossing over his nose. A straight line, probably a blade if she were the guess, otherwise she would think a cutting curse. Even with the clothing he wore, she could see the mass of muscles underneath it all.

He scowled. "Don't know why that moron wants me to look after you," he returned. "You're just a wisp of a girl."

A quick cursory glance over her argued with his statement. She has a nice figure, a very supple body. Her hair was full and wavy, not a strand out of place. Her eyes a bright green and observant, soft dark eyeshadow surrounding her eyes to make the color pop out even more. Her skin a healthy sun-kissed gold. Lips a soft pink, curled into a smirk that grew when she noticed him eyeing her.

"Maybe Iva-chan's playing match-maker," she teased, leaning back and crossing her arms with a single shoulder shrug. Her arms tucked under her breasts, pushing the twin mounds up against the dip of her blouse. Light gleamed off the golden pendant that rested above her breasts, the tiny emerald embedded in the valuable metal almost teasing anyone to try and look closer.

"Wouldn't surprise me," he scoffed, rolling his eyes and turning away. He felt his cheeks heat up a little, but ignored it. "I know what would happen if I turn you away. So you better just stay close. I'd rather not deal with that headache."

Hari slid out of her seat and followed after the young man, who was already walking off. Her heels clicked against the stone as she came to his side, keeping pace with his brisk walk easily.

"Have any skills?" he inquired, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes. If he's stuck dragging her along, she better be useful in some way.

"Well, ordinary skills, I'm rather good at cooking and keeping things clean," she listed. "Not-so-ordinary, I do know Okama Kenpo, thanks to Ivankov and the rest on Momoiro. I can sail a small vessel by myself. As well as possess my own special ability that no one else around here does. I can explain that one later on, if we're still traveling together should I reveal it."

"You actually trained on Momoiro?" he asked incredulously then paused. "Are you really a girl?"

Sniffling in disdain, Hari rounded to stand in front of him then pressed against his chest, her own pushing upwards and drawing his attention. "Do these look fake?" Sighing, Hari pulled away. "If you must know, I was born a boy. But Ivankov injected me with some hormones before I left to change me into a girl."

"At least you're honest," Crocodile commented, covering his face with his hand to hide the blush that erupted across his scarred cheeks. Did she have to do that to prove her point? "Come on. The execution is starting soon."

 **Here is a line!**

After such a declaration, it was no surprise to her when Crocodile announced that he was going to find the One Piece. Meaning he was going into the life of piracy. If she didn't like it, then she can find her own way around and her own protection.

Hari had to admit, the idea of living life as a pirate did sound interesting. Her whole life, she was the boy that did everything he was told to do only to be beat for it later on, accused of foul play. Then he became the Golden Boy of Gryffindor, hero among the school while still suffering under hatred just because of something beyond his control.

Landing on Momoiro Island was a blessing. Not only could Harry be the person he hid, but he also became Hari because of Ivankov. For once in her life, she was happy. With her body. Her choices. Her life as it is right now.

Maybe a little dose of the opposite life she's had as Harry was also in order. Who knows? It may actually be better.

 **Here is a line!**

When the sun rose the next morning, she was on the ship and ready to leave, her clothing packed away and her current outfit (though form fitting and showing off her figure) suitable for any work she may need to do. She wore a silver crop top and black leggings that reached to her knees, meeting the mouth of her steel-toed boots and tucking into them.

Crocodile already had a small crew for a small ship. And he quickly realized that Hari is probably the only crewmember with the most brains among the lot. She reacted to instructions almost instinctively, but also dealt with problems as soon as she spotted them instead of letting them fester. And though she wasn't able to read the weather well enough to notice patterns like some seasoned sailors, she knew her directions even when everyone else was completely lost.

What made him more intrigued by her was the day a sea king tried to attack the ship. It was one of the more serpentine ones, long scales decorating its jaw and ridges outlining above the nostrils and eyes. Crocodile thought they were going to be killed for sure, but wasn't going to give up without a fight. Then Hari stepped forward and started hissing.

The situation was made stranger when the beast hissed back, and the two started acting like they were having a conversation. To the relief of the crew, the sea king left them alone, disappearing back into the depths of the sea. However, Crocodile grabbed Hari and dragged her to his cabin for an explanation.

"What the hell was that?" he nearly snarled, his hand gripping her arm tight enough to bruise.

She placed her hand on his wrist and sent a jolt of magic to cause a sharp shock. His skin twitched from the sensation, but he barely regarded the harsh zap as anything more than an annoyance. "Let go," she warned.

"What was that out there?" he demanded again.

Huffing, she pulled her wrist back, but knew it was simply released instead of being yanked to freedom. "One of my not-so-common skills would include speaking to serpents," she explained. "Sea kings more aquatic in nature don't speak like the serpentine ones. If that one was more fish-like or mammal-like, we would have been screwed."

"So you can only talk to the serpentine ones?" he asked to clarify the information.

"Yes," she replied with a nod. "By the way, Zaphyra said that there is a nest three miles east, so I suggest we avoid that area."

"Zaphyra?" Does the beast actually have a name?

"The sea king," she shrugged uncaringly.

Yep, apparently the beast has a name, he internally groaned. "Is there anything else you can do that I need to know about?" he asked calmly, rubbing his forehead.

What the hell did Ivankov send to him? And he knows he can't just send her back or away from him. No doubt the okama queen would know and he would be threatened with blackmail into taking her in again. If she is to leave his company, it has to be her choice.

"Well," she drew out, rubbing her upper arm nervously as she glanced away. He took her chin into his grip and made her look back at him. "I can use magic."

"Magic? You mean you ate a devil fruit," he supplied, though was confused when she shook her head.

"No, I mean actual magic," she explained, pulling her wand from her hair. The bundle that it was stuck through fell and joined the rest of the locks, making her hair seem more full than before. Waving her wand with a mutter of an incantation, she changed the Crocodile's desk from a dark brown oak to a light birch.

Crocodile raised a brow, looking at his desk then back to her as he released his grip. "What else?"

For the next hour, she cast various spells and answered any questions she could, though several were left unanswered. It had to be explained to him only once that she had not completed her schooling before the incident that led up to her landing on Momoiro. Almost as soon as she mentioned that, he asked for the full story. She eventually had to give him the shortened version of her life story, which took another couple hour or so, questions included.

Once the explanations were out of the way and she changed certain things back to the way they were (Crocodile liked some changes, but hated the others), it was nearing suppertime. The information exchanged between them was kept between them. Crocodile doesn't trust his crew with such information as far as he could throw them. As far as he cared, they're good for manning the ship, but that was it. But the young man did decide that keeping the 'witch' may actually be a good idea.

 **Here is a line!**

"I know I told you that I have magic, but that doesn't mean I know all the spells," she scolded as she cleaned the wound. "I was handling the situation well enough on my own. You didn't need to sacrifice your hand! Or did you think I could just 'magic' it back onto your wrist?"

"Will you stop ranting, woman?" Crocodile growled, eyes trained on every movement of her hand.

He wasn't sure why he took the blow that would have sliced across her neck. At the least, he lost his left hand and it is a clean enough cut that nothing was shredded. The worst case scenario would have been Hari dying. Something in him did not settle well with that idea. Really, it was almost instinctive that he tried to block it.

"No, I will not stop ranting!" Hari denied roughly, applying pressure to the gaping wound where a hand should have been located. Crocodile hissed and his brow twitched, but he didn't give off many other signs of pain.

She learned a while back that he actually has a very high pain tolerance. Sometimes she wondered if his entire neurological system was actually numb until enough force caused the nerves to act up with a weak signal of pain to his brain. That, or he actually does tolerate the pain he puts himself in.

"Seriously, what were you thinking?! I can't fix this! Did you think I could fix this?! Why did you block that sword with your hand?!"

"I don't know!" he shouted, glaring at her. Sighing heavily, he shook his head. "I don't know."

Both was still for a moment, though Hari's hand kept dipping the cloth into a bucket of bloodied cloths and grab a clean one to help slow the bleeding. They managed to stop the heavy flow of blood with a mild burning spell, but that wasn't enough to cauterize the entire injury. A iron pan was placed over a fire for that part, and Hari knows it will hurt.

Swallowing thickly, Hari looked up at him through her thick eyelashes. "For what it's worth," she said softly. "Thank you. But I don't have the knowledge to grow your hand back or reattach the one you lost."

"I don't expect much," he confessed. "Just get it to stop bleeding and let me rest."

Glancing over to the pan, Hari let out a soft huff. "Hold this in place." Once his hand was over the cloth that was starting to turn red, she got to her feet and put her heavy gloves on. Grasping the pan's handle, and feeling the heat even though her gloves, she went back over to Crocodile. "This is going to hurt," she warned.

"Do it," he instructed with a firm nod.

"Okay," she exhaled, nodding for him to know she was ready to.

He removed the cloth and she swiftly pressed the searing hot pan against the bloody stump. The smell of burning flesh filled the room quickly, sizzling crept into their ears, the hair on their skin rising. Crocodile let out a loud groan as he gritted his teeth, but did not pull away. After a few seconds, Hari removed the pan and put it back over the fire just in case they needed to use it again. Some of the meat stuck to the searing hot pan, ripping away as it was removed.

Dropping to her knees in front of him, she started to inspect the wound. Most of it was burned closed, but some areas still bled through. "We can try again later if the bleeding keeps going," she offered. "Or do you want to try now?"

"Now," he ordered.

It took three tries before the wound stopped bleeding completely. Once they were sure the wound was completely cauterized, Hari applied a layer of thick salve that help soothe the burnt flesh, as well as act as an antibiotic. Satisfied by the application, she wrapped the arm from the elbow down while Crocodile laid on his bed.

"Can I make a request?" she asked softly, watching his eyes struggle to remain open.

"Hm," he hummed in response.

"Grateful as I am, don't do something like this again," the young woman said, covering his form with the thick blanket. With a weak chuckle, she added, "I don't think I can handle the smell of burning meat again."

His lips twitched in amusement as he drifted off to sleep. The battle wasn't all that tiring, and the loss of his hand was a stupid move on his part. Looted treasure will have to be sorted through later on, but the treatment to save him from bleeding out has exhausted him. He barely noticed the pressure of lips to his forehead as he slipped away into unconsciousness.

Hari pulled the plush chair over from the desk and placed it beside Crocodile's bed. The bloodied cloths can be dealt with later on. For now, she plans on staying right here and keeping an eye on the captain. The order to stay away from the looted treasure was already given since it is the captain's job to determine who gets what. If the captain can't do it, then the treasurer or First Mate. But those two are at least smart enough to not disobey their captain's orders.

Well, that and Zaphyra still hovers under their ship. And that sea king tends to help Hari out of respect whenever she has a request of the creature. Hari thinks the poor old girl is actually bored of living alone and just likes her company. Either way, the treasure will remain untouched or someone is going to end up in the sea king's belly.

 **Here is a line!**

" _I don't have any idea what is going on_ ," she confessed, rubbing the thick chin of the sea king looming over her.

" _You desire to mate_ ," the beast returned, almost teasing.

" _Maybe, but that was never something I really thought about_ ," Hari sighed, her hand withdrawing as she leaned back.

She thought, as a boy, she may have been gay because of the glances she kept sending some of the more attractive boys at school. Even the Weasley twins. And the idea of a girl against her in such an intimate way made her skin crawl.

Then Ivankov changed her body, and the thought of boys wasn't so scary anymore. She's a full woman now, as her monthly bleedings could attest to. It isn't just outwardly that changed, but her entire body changed. Still, she admired some men that she interacted with, but never really thought of 'mating'. To be honest, the idea of sex kinda scares her a bit.

" _Why not? Do you not wish for hatchlings?_ " Zaphyra inquired, her head tilting curiously.

She does. Always, the wish for a family was at the forefront of her mind, dancing on the tip of her tongue. She has wanted a family all her life, one to love and be loved by in return.

" _Always_ ," she answered with a small smile.

" _Is he not worthy of being your mate_?" the sea king continued on.

Laughing gently, Hari brushed a strand of hair from her face. " _I wouldn't say that!_ "

" _You should display then_ ," the creature advised, earning an incredulous look from the young woman. " _Show him what you have to offer and see if he takes interest. Should you both be pleased, then you shall mate. If not, then you shall not mate._ "

" _Zaphyra, humans don't do things like that_ ," Hari giggled into her palm.

" _Why not_?"

" _We like to take our time, learn about each other. Humans take life-mates…most of the time. We want to be sure our life-mate is someone we can rely on and trust._ "

The creature regarded her with a calculating stare then pulled back and shook her head. " _Humans are strange_."

" _Can't argue there_!" Hari laughed. Though the large beast did put an idea in her head.

While Hari and Crocodile do throw the occasional tease at each other, or did something that could be interpreted as concern, she wasn't entirely sure how the man feels about her, even with the knowledge that she used to be male. Maybe a little 'display' could clear that murky water for her. The next time they dock, she will go to town and find the perfect outfit for the occasion.

 **Here is a line!**

As the crew milled about in town, Crocodile remained in his quarters, staring at an oddly decorated fruit as he rubbed the bandaged stump of his wrist. He knows there are books that can identify the fruits, but he has access to none of them. Meaning this fruit could be anything, and he can't decide whether he wants to eat it or not.

Sure enough, no devil fruit makes a person weaker. But the powers vary from useless to useful, weak to powerful, humiliating to overwhelming. The main question he was asking himself is if it is worth the risk. He doesn't know which fruit this is, so can't even begin to guess what power he will possess if he takes a bite. It was just something thrown into the last treasure they looted from an enemy ship.

Naturally he kept the fruit for himself, informing everyone he will decide what to do with it later. He'd rather have it where he can keep an eye on it than risk one of his overly ambitious lackeys get the bright idea of eating it, possibly gaining a powerful new ability, and lead a mutiny against him. Many would call him paranoid, but he likes to think of it as 'planning ahead'.

The only one that didn't seem to care about the presence of the fruit was Hari. She even threw the thing over her shoulder without a care of who catches it, but he suspects she was aiming it towards him without making it seem so. Even with her youth, she knows just handing it to anyone would be a bad idea. One reason why he likes her, she's much smarter than she lets on.

Honestly, he doesn't care that she was once male. And the longer she stayed in his company, the less he cared that Ivankov was holding blackmail over his head in order to keep her. Hari is making herself a valuable member of the crew in many ways. He's actually tempted to remove his First Mate and give the title to the witch instead.

If it wasn't for the fact that he suspects she is up to something herself. All she did was scoop up her share of the treasure then run from the ship as soon as it was secure to the dock. It was abnormal behavior from her for as long as he's known her.

Groaning, Crocodile rubbed his forehead. It happened again, he mused humorlessly. He could be facing an internal crisis about anything and his mind somehow always drifts right back to Hari. Was it her doing? Or his own?

A knock on his door pulled him from his thoughts. "Come in," he granted, knowing how it is simply by the sound of the knock. Most of the crew banged on the door to get his attention. Hari, however, used her knuckles and tapped the door.

Sure enough, the door opened and Hari stepped into his quarters, a bundle of cloth in her hands. "Borrowing your bath," she declared as she headed towards his own bathroom.

"You know, there is a tub on this ship you can use that isn't mine," he pointed out, though did nothing to stop her.

"That other tub is too big and too deep," she complained, stepping into the bathroom and leaving the door cracked just enough for them to continue their conversation. It isn't like Crocodile is going to take a peek anyway. He's no peeping tom.

"I thought women liked large tubs," the man commented, turning his eyes back to the fruit on his desk.

"Not ones afraid of drowning," Hari returned, filling the small tub with water too shallow to take a real bath. She placed the bundle of new clothing in the nearby cabinet to keep it dry then pulled a cloth from the same cabinet, draping it over the lip of the tub.

"You sure you didn't eat a devil fruit?" Crocodile inquired curiously, turning to the door but remaining on his chair.

"I didn't," she reassured as she shed her clothing. "My uncle tried to drown me in a tub only half full when I was five. I've been afraid of being submerged in water since."

She hated being in the prefect's massive tub, full enough to be a mini pool on its own. But she had to do it in order to hear the riddle inside the golden egg. The thought of diving into the Black Lake chilled her when she realized the implication of the song. Of course, Moody shoved her in regardless.

Crocodile heard a faint splash following by rapid dripping. "That was cruel of him," he commented, bringing a unlit cigar to his lips then lighting it once his mouth had a firm hold of it.

"He was a cruel man," she confirmed, using the wet cloth to wipe away the layer of dirt coating her skin. "You looked awfully focused on something."

Taking the change of subject for what it is, Crocodile nodded. "I'm thinking about this devil fruit," he explained. "I don't know what kind it is. Devil fruits bring in a lot of money if sold to the right person, but I could be selling off a powerful ability that I could use."

"Won't you lose your ability to swim if you eat it?" Hari asked, turning her head to the door as she continued to wipe down her body, dipping the cloth back into the water occasionally.

"Right, because I just jump into the water five times a day to swim in the sea anyway," Crocodile returned teasingly.

"I'm only saying," she laughed lightly, filling a nearby bucket with water so that she could wash her hair. "Look, the fruit gives some random power, right? No one really knows what they're going to get until they take a bite, but they do it anyway. So why don't you if you really want to?"

"If this power is a hindrance, I cannot eat one with a stronger power," he explained. "Devouring two devil fruits kills the person stupid enough to eat them."

"You're overthinking it," she playfully accused as she washed her hair. "Risks sometimes must be taken in order to advance towards a goal." She paused for a moment, her brows furrowing in confusion. Where did that come from? She must be spending too much time with Zaphyra. "Look, if you want to eat the fruit, then eat it. If not, then give it someone else or sell it or just hold onto it for no reason other than to torture yourself with 'what if'. You have a list of options in front of you. Choose one and move on."

Crocodile chuckled as he picked the fruit up. She does have a point, he supposed. Sitting here thinking about it won't do anything. "I suppose some risks are worth taking," he mused as he removed his cigar from his mouth.

 **Here the Chapter Ends**

 **We all know he freaking eats it. No one knows how he got the fruit or if he just took a bite or thought about it. I just threw this together for another bonding chapter between the two.**

 **Now let us remember here: If Crocodile is acting a little OC, keep in mind that he is currently 22 years old. He hasn't grown into that jaded, devious person we all know and love. And maybe Hari can change that a bit.**

 **And this chapter has gone on long enough. Do not expect all chapters to be this long. They will not be this long. Some may be, others may be longer, some shorter. There is no consistency!**

 **Anyway, let me know what you guys think! ^^**


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